glbarlow

Well that’s interesting. I’ll look forward to seeing how it turns out after final sanding. 

18 hours ago, Chuck said:

Actually for cheerful you probably wont need it for much at all

Good to know Chuck, but don’t tell my wife, I’m looking for justification to buy one 🙂

Fairing is so much fun. I have a collection of various sanding tools, but I’m always looking for a better way. Thanks for the replies and the link.  I ordered the cedar version from Chuck yesterday. 

I'm sure I'll sort it out. It looks like I'll have to first invest in a scroll saw and then learn how to use it while keeping all ten fingers 🙂

On 5/15/2015 at 1:09 PM, Stuntflyer said:

I made 4 sanding blocks with different curves

I realize you completed this a long while ago, I'm just ordering Chuck's Cheerful, he noted yours was a good log to use for reference.  Do you have photos or can you explain what you did with different curved sanding blocks please?

Hi Rusty,

I'm ordering the parts and plans from Chuck and putting this on my build list after Lady Nelson and Speedy.  Glad I'll have your log to refer to. I'm not sure I have the skills for some of the work, but guess I'll find out...:-D

Hang in there, remember the goal of the first blanking it to cover the frame with wood - it's ok if its ugly as long as it's a smooth base and the right form for the 2nd planking. It's good that you began again, but no worries it will all turn out great.

1 hour ago, DelF said:

Lagavulin

Good stuff. Macallan for me. I visited the distillery in Scotland, highlight of the trip. 

3 hours ago, SpyGlass said:

which cutter is that and whats the finish

It’s another Chris Watson design (he says from decades ago), the Lady Nelson. I started after a 3 year layoff before I knew about Vanguard models. It’s basic, but fun.  The finish is Satin water based Poly.

2 hours ago, DelF said:

Anyway - back to Speedy. I've finally finished the second planking.

Your planking looks great, did you bend the planks ...LOL, sorry couldn’t resist.

I’m just a CA guy I guess, but like plank bending, to each his own. That’s why this is fun, we can do whatever we want and have a pleasant discussion about it.  
 

Don’t be gone long Derek, you may find we’re using your log to discuss the merits of fine scotch 😂

On 2/27/2020 at 12:18 PM, SpyGlass said:

Humm I think we may just have different approaches - I would normally handle such bends by tapering or maybe even a spot of spiling.

You have to try this to see how well it works. I still taper the planks based on the measurements, this doesn’t replace that. As we know the bow curves both in and down. You probably, like I used to, achieve this double curve by soaking and twisting. The bent plank looks weird by itself but it lays on to the double curve perfectly. It takes a little practice but once you learn it it’s all you’ll ever do. The “traditional” way leads to warping and swelling, this way leads to perfect fits around the bow and stern. It’s appropriate to use on any model with a bow. Watch Chuck’s videos for more on how. I actually got more from when he’s at a workshop. 

You can view my gallery photos, I did ok with the old way on all those models, this way is just so much better for me. That said, to each his own way. Whatever makes you happy.

Sorry to hijack your log Derek, but here's a photo of my little cutter project underway.  I don't think I'd get such a nice even upsweep of the planks using my old method. The Lady Nelson has even less bow curve than Speedy.  I started bending and tapering at the first walnut plank below the wales. The counter-intuitive thing is you bend the plank down and as a result it curves up with the double curve of the bow. (Chuck should give me a marketing credit:-)

7 hours ago, ASAT said:

Glenn, you should start a progress log of your Lady Nelson, maybe not a build log but we could see what you’re working on and how it’s going.... or not.... no pressure, just always enjoyed your logs...

Thank you, i kinda enjoy writing them. Don’t tell anyone but I started one on that other site🙃there was so little interaction I sort of abandoned it. I plan to start one here later to add to the Speedy journals. 

38 minutes ago, DelF said:

Hi Spyglass 

 

They’re for the bow area. They may look like severe curves but they fit well. 

Derek

My same finding, I thought it was too much, but the bent boards lay in there so nicely on my little cutter project. 

34 minutes ago, DelF said:

 

Thanks - I understand your points. I still think I’ll copper Speedy, Derek

I don’t mean to impose my opinion on anyone else. I hope you enjoy the process. 

12 hours ago, glennard2523 said:

 I may go out a purchase a travel iron 

I've successfully built a number of models using my own method of planking. I wish I'd discovered Chuck's method sooner, I used it on my current model (my simple little project after a long layoff). I am amazed at the results and just how much you can bend planks. I used the travel iron as Chuck suggested at some point in his videos or tutorials and think it’s by far the best approach. Wetting the wood with just my finger then applying the (steam) iron to the wood bent and held by clamps heated and dried the wood quickly, and as someone has pointed out "presses" the wood in the bargain.  I think you''ll enjoy the decision to get the iron - the travel size works best because you really only need the front corner.

23 hours ago, glennard2523 said:

I had over 3000 copper plates to fit when I built Caldercraft HMS Victory. It was quite time consuming but looked really good when completed.

 

Same ship I did, it does look ok on the Vanguard - just not for me on smaller ships. I'm very happy I didn't do my Pegasus.  I'm also happy I didn't count the plates. 🙂

But as I said, really a matter of personal choice.

2 hours ago, DelF said:

I was wondering what put you off 

 

Derek 

First off I don't like the end appearance, my personal preference.  Historical accuracy aside the copper draws my attention way too much over the beauty of the model, its lines and all the detail I put into it from furniture to rigging are muffled by the copper hull. It is what you notice first and, again in my opinion, not what I want to see. The white hull just looks so much more like an elegant model sitting on my shelf.  I'm not sailing it anywhere, its one aspect of historical accuracy I don't feel I need to have done the job right.  

However in the case of the Vanguard (I also coppered my Pickle) it was the incredible tediousness of placing one plate after another after another in one line after another after another.  I actually stopped for almost a year after coppering the port side before starting starboard. I just lost interest in modeling and did I mention how tedious it is on a large ship. I won't be coppering Speedy, I hope it to join Pegasus and Granado in my study bookshelves, with its white hull.

Hope that helps.

On 2/20/2020 at 5:53 PM, Bob Cleek said:

exactly the same length

Thank you for your reply.  I understand the repeatable and safety aspect, How does it make cuts the same length?  My example is cutting the very short “borders” of a square hatch, say each just 25mm in length and a 45 mitre didn’t cut, hard to do without losing a finger. Does the sliding table help with month the accurate cut and getting 4 perfect 25 mm lengths?

I should just buy it, but not sure I’d know how to use it. 
 

Great video, very helpful. 

I’m sure having the slots at the bow and a stockier frame with additional bulkheads make my process unnecessary on the Speedy. Chris designed a great model. Sorry I brought it up.

Post #19 in my Vanguard log is where I described fitting the patterns, it was a far bigger deal than the Speedy. I was more clever back then.  Sorry Vane, no more hijacking your log.  

4 hours ago, AlanDavison said:

Your method seems an unnecessary exercise.

 

 

It is good practice and one I follow. Pre-forming on a firm board, rather than the somewhat fragile frame prevents breakage and is far less a struggle. The board, properly prepared provides firm and easy to access clamping points that also allow me to ease the pattern into the right shape. The ply on a gun port pattern is very stiff, and it is ply, too much soaking it will warp as it dries and possibly even delaminate. Scoring is not something I’d do.
 

Using this process actually saves me time, saves me from the struggle of fighting alignment on the boat frame, and provides a smooth unwavering pattern. You can put the patterns on it lots of ways, but this method works and works well. While the Speedy may be easier given it’s shape, I’d not managed to get the patterns on either Pegasus or Vanguard without it. 
 

While I’m sure there are many methods, this one has made my building easier.  I was just sharing what I do.

2 minutes ago, ccoyle said:

that was seven years ago

Seems less than that to me since I was "gone" for the past three years.  I did note I was mostly unhappy with myself for not keeping an offline copy, a mistake I won't make again.

Actually after the Vanguard I'm never coppering another ship, with all due respect to historical accuracy 😄

P.S. Just noticed that you and I have the exact same number of posts to our name. Spooky!

I used to have a lot more - I did a very long and detailed logs of my Pegasus and Fair American builds that were lost in the big systems crash a few years ago.  I was not happy, mostly at myself for not keeping an offline copies. I quit building after the Vanguard and disappeared from the forums for a long while, just starting back up again. 

11 minutes ago, DelF said:

Speaking of good practice, when you're quoting someone else you don't need to copy the whole post - it's just as easy to highlight the bit you want and hit the 'quote selection' prompt that comes up, and it makes it easier for others reading the log. Ccoyle's post immediately before yours is a good example. Hope you don't mind me mentioning this, but I used to do the same until someone else  pointed out the neater method.

 

Not at all, I just posted in the Admin section asking how to do this - it was annoying me and I'm the one doing it. So thanks.